AFTER ELEPHANT AT BARINGO 



a 



of which contained eggs resembling those of our sparrow, 

 but speckled with a violet tinge ; in others the young 

 were hatched. 



The next view of our elephant was from a thorn- 

 tree at seventy yards. He stood quiescent, his enormous 

 ears flapping to keep ofi" the flies. Omitting details of 

 detours necessitated or suggested by varying airs, at 

 last I found m3'self watching this giant beast (from a 

 tree) within thirty yards. Only the ridge of his back 

 and huge ears were visible above the tall grass, all in 

 deep shade, and I was debating w^ithin myself what was 



WEAVER-FINCHES NESTS< 



the right course to pursue, enjoying the novel sight and 

 trying to recollect all that the great elephant-hunters 

 had advised. Already Archer, very rightly, had raised a 

 question of the wisdom of " taking on " a solitary old bull 

 under such conditions ; but I only reflected on the forty 

 miles we had come, the rivers swum, the game in view, 

 and had not realised the full import of his remark nor the 

 danger of this venture. The perception was not long de- 

 layed. A distinct and continued pufi' of wind on the back 

 of my neck brought it home. One moment later that ere- 

 whiles somnolent elephant was all alert. Up in air full 

 twenty feet towered the great trunk, its point deflected 

 hither and thither to pick up those grains of scent in the 



